| Duration: |
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8 days
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| Starts / Ends in : |
Cape Town / Port Elizabeth
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| Rates From : |
Rates on Request
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A tour of South Africa's Cape Peninsula, as well as the highlights of the renowned Garden Route.
This 8-day tour enables you to discover the most interesting and scenic parts of the Western Cape with award-winning Ilios Travel.
Start off with a comprehensive tour of Cape Town, visit the Cape Winelands for a day and then head over Sir Lowry's Pass to the picturesque country towns of Swellendam and Barrydale.
Visit the ostrich farming area of Oudtshoorn where you can even ride an ostrich!
Back at the coast you'll explore the jewel of the Garden Route- Knysna - with its Lagoon and "Knysna Heads", as well as Plettenberg Bay and the dense Tsitsikamma Forest.
Day 1: Explore Table Mountain & The City Bowl
Your tour starts with a breathtaking trip up Table Mountain (this trip is weather-permitting and a cable car fee of approximately R110 is payable locally) and continues into the city for visits to the peaceful Company Gardens, the South African Museum, the Castle of Good Hope and the vibrant flea market in Greenmarket Square.
Sightseeing for the day ends with a drive through the colourful Cape Malay area of Bo-Kaap.
Day 2: Experience the Cape
Today will be spent exploring the Cape Peninsula, one of the most dramatic coastal drives in the world.
Heading along the Atlantic Seaboard via Sea Point and the magnificent beaches at Clifton and Camps Bay, your first stop is at Llandudno to take in the postcard-perfect views.
Continue to Hout Bay, a quaint village and fishing harbour, where there will be the opportunity to take an optional boat trip to Seal Island.
Further down the coast, you enter the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, home to a wide variety of plant, bird and animal life and the most south westerly point of the African continent - the towering headland known as Cape Point.
You stop for lunch before continuing to Simon's Town, a village with a naval base and Boulders Beach - home to a large Jackass penguin colony.
Finally, there will be a visit to the world-renowned Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain.
Day 3: Sample Some Cape Wines
Wind your way to the heart of the Cape Winelands through superb mountain ranges, vineyards and Cape Dutch homesteads. First stop is the historic town of Stellenbosch before a wine tasting and cellar tour in the area.
Stop for lunch in the "gourmet-capital" of South Africa, Franschhoek after a visit to the Boschendal Manor House.
After lunch there will be another opportunity for some additional wine tasting (wine tasting not included in cost) before continuing on to Paarl to visit the Fairview Wine Estate for wine and cheese tasting.
Day 4: Travel the Overberg to Oudtshoorn
This morning you will depart Cape Town and travel through Sir Lowry's Pass, via Elgin to Swellendam. You will have the opportunity to explore Swellendam, the third oldest town in South Africa, and take a visit to the Drostdy Museum.
The museum comprises a collection of buildings with characteristic Cape Dutch architecture, period furniture, beautiful gardens and an ambagswerf (trades yard). Stroll through the town before continuing on to Barrydale.
Lunch will be taken in the picturesque town of Barrydale before continuing on to Oudtshoorn.
Oudtshoorn is the capital of the Klein Karoo and the ostrich capital of South Africa.Tonight you will overnight at Hlangana Lodge or similar.
Accommodation included in tour cost:
- Hlangana Lodge
Days 5-6: Relax in Knysna
After breakfast you depart for a journey through the magnificent Outeniqua Pass to George and travel along the famous wilderness coastline to Knysna. Knysna is surrounded by the Outeniqua Mountain range, engulfed by indigenous forests and rests on the edge of the Knysna Lagoon.
Enjoy some lunch at the scenic look out point of 'The Heads' and then take a ferry trip on the Lagoon.
Continue on to Plettenberg Bay, approximately 20 minutes from Knysna, where you will spend the next 2 nights at Lairds Country Lodge.
The next day is spent visiting with the elephants at the Knysna Elephant Park and the Birds of Eden sanctuary.
There is an optional whale and dolphin excursion for those that wish to get closer to the marine species of the area.
Accommodation included in tour cost:
- Lairds Lodge Country Estate
Day 7: Disappear into the Tsitsikamma Forest
Have an early breakfast before departing for a visit to the beautiful Tsitsikamma National Forest, a dense indigenous forest and conservation area supporting a diverse ecosystem of plant and animal life.
There will be an optional walk (approximately 1 hour) starting at Sandy Bay and along a winding boardwalk through indigenous forest to the mouth of the Storm River where there is a famous suspension bridge, the Storms River Mouth Cave (Khoisan Heritage Site) and the Spirit of Tsitsikamma boat jetty.
Lunch will be taken in the forest before continuing the journey east to Port Elizabeth.
Accommodation included in tour cost:
- Beach Hotel
Day 8: Arrive in Port Elizabeth
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before your transfer to the airport for your flight home or onward flight to one of Southern Africa's many other fascinating and beautiful holiday destinations.
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